The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Karnataka government is smeared in corruption. Only the people of the State can change a corrupt government like this.

Voters will have to take a decision in this regard in the upcoming election, said former prime minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda.

He was speaking at the party workers convention in the city on Saturday. Both the Congress and BJP have become financially rich by engaging in corrupt practices. India is getting a bad name even in the foreign countries due to the bad governance of the two governments, he added.

It is a myth that one can come to power in a state like Karnataka with just the support of two communities—Lingayats and Vokkaligas. The support of all the communities is essential has everybody are stakeholders in the governance and also need to be rightly represented in the government, he added.

On the Cauvery imbroglio, Gowda said one of the main reason for issue remaining unsolved in Tamil Nadu’s vote bank politics. Dravida  Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the main opposition party in that state is backing United Progressive Alliance at the Centre. While Jayalalitha-led AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) government in the State is raking the issue to contain DMK, Gowda added.

The former chief minister said that JD(S) had bright future in the State and there was a lot of demand for tickets. “It is not possible to fulfill everybody’s wishes. Kumaraswamy has been directed to reserve 15 per cent of the seats for women candidates,” he added.

Former legislator K Srinivas Gowda who spoke on the occasion said that the current poll situation was similar to the one during 1983-84. He said the party would win all the 11 Assembly constituencies in Kolar-Chikkaballapur districts. People will reject the BJP which is neck-deep in the corruption, he added.

Legislator Venkatashiva Reddy, Zilla Panchayat president Choudeshwari and others were present on the occasion.